


You and Your Pigtails

by JoMouse



Series: Tumblr Prompts [6]
Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-07-19 02:07:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7340323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoMouse/pseuds/JoMouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn works for Liam. One day he oversleeps and rushes to work, forgetting that Louis' little sisters had played with his hair the night before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You and Your Pigtails

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alabamajoan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alabamajoan/gifts).



> Hello!!!!
> 
> This prompt came from the lovely alabamajoan who has been leaving me such sweet comments, that I’m excited she asked for a prompt. Then I saw the prompt and my mind immediately went blank.
> 
> Then, I thought of an idea I’d had that very morning for a new fic and this line would fit in it...somewhere. So, I decided to jump into the world of Author!Liam and PA!Zayn for a scene for a possible future fic. I really hope you like it, sweetie.
> 
> Hope everyone likes it!
> 
> There are still more prompts I haven't done at [this post](http://josjournal.tumblr.com/post/146131648737/first-sentence-writing-prompts), if you would like to send me one.
> 
> Xx-Joey
> 
> Don't know 'em. Don't own 'em. Don't show 'em.

“What’s with the pigtails?” Liam asked as he stared at Zayn standing in the doorway of his office, snapback over his head and the ends of two braids sticking out just over his ears. Zayn’s hands flew to his head as his eyes widened.

“Fuck,” he muttered, and Liam raised an eyebrow, biting back the chuckle that was threatening to escape. “I was watching my friend’s younger sisters. They got bored.” He took off the hat and started to fiddle with the braids, dropping the papers he had attempted to keep close to his body with his elbows.

Liam really couldn’t hold back his laughter, then. He rose and walked around his desk, kneeling to pick up the papers. He grimaced when he saw the numerous phone messages from his agent. He grabbed them, crumpling them up and tossing them towards the, already overflowing, bin next to his desk. 

“Sorry. ‘M so sorry,” Zayn was saying quickly. Liam waved him off as he stood up. “First, I’m late and now this.” Zayn dropped to his knees to pick up a few pieces that Liam had missed while still tugging at the plaits in his hair.

“You were late?” Liam asked as he looked down at his watch, realizing it was nearly noon. 

“Have you slept?” Zayn asked, looking up at Liam.

Liam swallowed hard as he glanced down at the boy kneeling before him, his hair now free of the plaits and pushed sloppily over to one side, baring the shaved skin over his left ear. Liam’s fingers itched to run over the stubble, to twist into the long strands that had always been hidden in tiny buns or under caps until that day. He shook himself when Zayn quirked an eyebrow. “I’m sorry?”

Zayn smiled as he stood. Walking over, he set the papers he’d been carrying onto Liam’s desk, along with his hat. Pushing a hand through his hair, Liam found himself swallowing hard as his eyes tracked the movement, feeling a bit jealous. “Go to bed, Liam,” he told him. “I’ll make some lunch. Then, we’ll eat before getting to work. You made a good start on the chapter yesterday.”

“And nothing after you left,” Liam mumbled as he started to leave the room, mind only on sleep now that Zayn had mentioned it.

“Then good thing I’m back,” Zayn told him, smacking Liam on the ass as he passed and then freezing. “I am so-”

Liam’s tired chuckle cut him off. “‘M gonna go to bed, and we’ll start the day over,” he said, his mouth unhinging around a yawn. 

Liam climbed the stairs slowly and then shuffled into his room, closing the door behind him and leaning against it. He was suddenly feeling much more awake than he had before. All of him was feeling much more awake, he mused sadly as he ran a hand firmly over the ache below his waistband. “I am so screwed,” he muttered as he went through the room into the bathroom for a quick, or not so quick, shower.

***

“I can’t believe I did that!” Zayn hissed into the mobile he was trying to balance between his ear and shoulder while he filled a pot with water. “Lou, stop laughing at me! This is all your fault, anyway!”

“How is it my fault?” Louis asked, his words barely discernible through his laughter, and Zayn was pretty sure there were probably tears leaking out of his best friend’s eyes.

“If you hadn’t insisted we get high last night and then left me to watch your sisters,” Zayn argued, placing the pot on the stove and turning on the flames below it. “I wouldn’t have overslept and I definitely would not have shown up to work with pigtails!”

“But they were adorable.”

“YOU KNEW!?” Zayn shouted before wincing and glancing towards the ceiling, but when he didn’t hear anything from Liam’s bedroom, he let out a sigh and repeated his words, more quietly.

“‘Course, but I still don’t see how that means you touching your boss inappropriately is my fault,” Louis said, still chuckling.

“My guard was lowered due to our nocturnal activities,” Zayn argued, knowing the larger words pissed off his friend.

“That just sounds dirty. Are you saying you spent last night getting off to me?” Louis asked. Zayn hung up the phone, tossing it on the counter with a groan.

He’d taken this job because he was desperate for work and because the opportunity to work with one of his favourite authors was too good to pass up. He’d honestly expected the reclusive author to be some ninety-year old who couldn’t even remember the last time he’d gotten it up. Instead he got Liam Payne, forty-five years old and built like a god.

It had taken Zayn a long time to even address him as anything other than Liam Payne, although, if pressed, Zayn would admit to himself that “Daddy” had almost slipped past his lips a few times. Now, he’d gone and blown it by smacking him on the bottom because his reflexes were dulled.

Zayn noticed the water boiling and added the spaghetti noodles, setting the timer, knowing that the way his brain was malfunctioning today, he’d end up forgetting about them. He turned his attention to the other pan, adding the extra ground beef he’d browned when making tacos the day before. Adding the other ingredients, he almost dropped the bottle of wine when he felt someone standing just behind him.

“Smells good,” Liam said. Zayn turned his head slightly to smile at his boss, surprised just how close he was standing. 

“Should be another ten minutes or so,” Zayn told him, using a hand to motion for Liam to step back so Zayn could pop open the oven and check on the garlic bread.

“You didn’t have to make so much,” Liam said, crossing to the cupboards and pulling out plates and silverware.

“Have you eaten since lunch yesterday?” Zayn asked, noting Liam’s blush. “How did you survive before I started here?”

Liam’s eyes crinkled shut around a laugh. “I honestly have no idea what I ever did without you and your pigtails,” he said, his voice almost cheeky, as he reached out and tugged on the ends of his hair.  Zayn hurriedly turned back to the sauce to hide the expression on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Please come say "hi" on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/JolynnMG) or [tumblr](http://josjournal.tumblr.com)! I love meeting new people!!!!


End file.
